Leave out all the rest
by whotakesthesepictures
Summary: First time Sharon and Brenda are sharing the same environment, intentionally. There will be drinks, and here will be consequences.  Own nothing, just borrowing the characters for a fun night out.
1. Chapter 1

Captain Sharon Raydor walked as fast as her pumps allowed her in the narrow hallway out of the elevator and into the open space that held Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson office and her squad's desks. It was relatively quiet for the time being; probably mostly because everyone had been delegated to various assignments ordered by the woman in charge, or they were simply giving her time to let her loose herself in something sugarcoated that didn't need an audience.

Sharon braced herself and went in after having knocked three times and heard the characteristic voice ring out 'come in.'

To Sharon's surprise she found the blonde in her office alone. Currently looming over a stack of files that occupied every inch of her desk except for the one spot where Brenda was resting the elbow supporting her head. Sharon couldn't recall any other time she had seen the chief look like this. Exhausted, tired, a little lost even, yes, but silent, now that was new to her. She wasn't sure if she was breaking an unwritten cosmical law interrupting the worlds little break from Brenda Lee Johnson, but a report needed to be finished, and those papers needed someone to free them from the depths of mess in which they were currently slowly suffocating.

Sharon walked in and was about to interrupt the Chiefs work when she noticed the look on the woman's face. There was something reassuring at seeing the woman like this. When she wasn't completely obnoxious trying to get the information she needed, (usually with eyes going wild and nostrils flaring, not to mention the occasional spit that flew at her southern pronunciations) she had to admit it, the woman was almost beautiful, in a 'if you mess with me you'll die, but I can also be the one you'll never want to live without', sort of way. If she'd let you. And you didn't run away scared to death because of her connections in every department she hadn't managed to piss off yet if you ever were to say the wrong things or fail in backing up her theories. At least that's what her fellow officers in FID had managed to conclude with after getting to know the details about her failed marriage to Agent Howard.

Oh god, Sharon had to hold back a snort. That last glass of wine last night must have used a long time kicking in, because if these were the thoughts being allowed in her currently overworked brain in a sober state of mind, she would submit herself to the nearest head shrink before letting it run its course. Silently cursing herself and blaming her TV for not shutting itself off, and instead waking to re-runs of Dr. Phil after haven fallen asleep on the couch the night before must have had something to do with it.

Sharon cast the woman a glance as she tried to shake the awful image of the completely overrated so-called doctor and angry at how he had managed to brainwash her sleeping state out of her mind.

'-You do know why I'm here, right?'

'-Ah, Captain Raydor. Sure, sure…' Brenda tried to focus her trail of thoughts enough to maybe realize just why the woman was currently standing in front of her with her arms in lock, much looking like she had a purpose to invade her personal space.

'-I take it by your fleeting look, you're clueless and once again I will have to remind you?'

'-No no, it will come to me. Let me just, get through these files and then I can start looking for those red shoes you stole from Dorothy.'

'-Ha-ha.' Even inside the confined walls of the Captain's room she still knew how to pull her strings. 'Very funny. However, as I'm sure you know, somewhere in this mess of yours_,[ how you can show this to people and still have their confidence in you as a chief is still beyond me]_, you have a file. I need that file. Now. Chief.'

'-Of course you do. And I am sorry for the mess, some of us are trying to solve a murder here you see, and I would just hate to know that someone was running around killing people because you saw it fit to come through those doors and make me clean my office instead of doing my job.'

If Brenda had bothered to look up at that moment, she'd be witnessing Sharon Raydor stepping over her evidence boxes and finding her last bar of Reese's.

'-You know, I wake up every morning, praying that whatever I'm being faced with, it won't involve Major Crimes. Usually I get my wish, but, as it happen…. Here I am.'

'-What are you doing?' Brenda had finally snapped her head up, just in time to see Captain Raydor gently peeling off the paper wrap from the last of her chocolate bars.

'-Oh, did I manage to get your attention?' Feigned surprise and innocence was definitely one of Sharon's best traits when it came to getting people to notice her.

'-You put down that chocolate bar…. Or I'll…'

'-You'll what? Chief?' Again with the smugness- this woman was gonna be the death of her.

Sharon braced herself for the outcome as she slowly led the bar up to her lips and gently swiped the chocolate with her tongue. As the aroma filled her nostrils and the soft chocolate covering the hard surface melted in her mouth, she realized, it had definitely been to long since she'd treated herself to one of these.

A shrieking gasp was all she heard from the woman she was bound by law to call Chief. It was cruel, but, really, she had seen no other way at the time.

'-Did you just eat my Reese's?'

'-Oh, I'm sorry, chief, did you want it?'

'-Did. I…' Brenda couldn't believe what had just played out before her. Her eyes went wide as the image of the last of piece of chocolate, which was supposed to be _her_ salvation for the day, slipped inside the lips of her frigging nemesis.

'-Chief Johnson?' Sharon realized she had taken it too far as she saw the Chief's pupils expand to dark circles, leaving nothing for the brown in her eyes to show. The thought had just crossed her on the way there, because she knew that if she went asking for the file, just like that, she was never going to get it before she had to close the case due to her retirement.

'-That. Was the last. Piece. Of chocolate….Why would you do something like that…?' Finally Brenda managed to avert her eyes away from the crumbs Raydor was using her tongue to remove.

'-I'm sorry, I shouldn't have… I just really want that file.'

'-It's right behind you, on top of the evidence boxes underneath my coat, tucked in between there somewhere.'

'-Thank you, that was all I asked for.' Sharon steadily made her way over to the boxes and found the file smeared in coffee stains and something that reminded her an awful much of cupcake crumbs.

Brenda observed the grace in which the woman moved and wondered how that was possible as it went against a number of laws due to gravitation. If she hadn't been so stunned by the balls on this woman she'd possibly even find her movements beautiful in a 'she ate my chocolate, but looked stunning while doing so- type of way'.

'-Maybe next time I won't have to eat your chocolate to get what I want.' Sharon dared a smile as she stepped over the last box and made it to Brenda's desk. She eyed her boss and with another little crooked smile, she reached into the pocket on her tailor fit Armani-suit and brought out a completely intact Reese's.

'-You!' Brenda wondered if she was pissed off that the woman had managed to turn her into a wobbly mess, or if she were thrilled she had dared cross her fascination (ok, fine, _obsession_ was probably more exact) for sweets.

'-I'll have them back to you by five. Enjoy your chocolate.'

And with that she left the other woman alone to try and grasp what had just happened and walked out the door.

Sharon noticed that the desks had been filled while she was _(probably too unprofessionally)_ trying to get her files. Sergeant Flynn was the first to notice her as she tried making her way to the elevator without being held back for interrogation.

'-So, did you manage to piss her off enough to your satisfaction Captain?'

'-Excuse me?' Sharon had really intended to walk straight out of major crimes as fast as she could before having to defend her presence in their offices.

'- Oh come on, don't act all stupid here Captain. You know as well as we do that whenever you two are in the same room it's gonna be hell to pay for us later.'

'-I think that Sergeant Flynn is trying to say is that we all know you can't stand each other, but that we really just want things to go as smoothly as possible while handling this case.'

'-Well_, _thank you Sergeant Gabriel for _clarifying _that, but I believe Captain Raydor knows exactly what I meant and will still insists on pushing the Chiefs every last buttons.'

'-Hang on there a moments lieutenant, do you _honestly_ think I intend to make the cooperation between FID and Major Crimes a living hell for everyone? You think I enjoy coming up here and having my very presence questioned and having to defend my every move?

'-Listen to me, all I'm just saying, if you didn't concentrate on acting like a victim all the time, things would probably go a lot smoother between the departments.'

'-Lieutenant Flynn. I would be very careful with how I choose my words if I were you.'

'-Alright! That's enough!' Lieutenant Provenza was attempting to get himself up from the chair, a task he found rather difficult as he cursed the carpet for holding his chair back under his breath, 'I'm sorry, someone should have probably told you, this is how lieutenant Flynn asks a woman out on a date.'

Brenda she had been so lost in her thoughts while glancing over the last unread file left in her case that she thought she was imagining Sharon's voice on the other side of her door. Then she realized her daydreams would not include any of her lieutenants or Sergeant Gabriel if she had anything to do with it. As she tried to snap her head away from her currant trail of thoughts of chocolate in contact with creamy white soft skin, 'cause she just looked like she would have soft skin, away from the image of lips devouring chocolate like it was the preview of an adult movie… Oh god. What was happening? Brenda was just about to dive into the chocolate she had just been daydreaming about (and not the lips attached to its twin) when she realized she hadn't lost it completely, and that Captain Sharon had yet to leave her department. Was Flynn actually asking her out on a date?

'-I think we've all heard enough from the both of you lieutenant Provenza!'

Brenda smiled as sweetly as she could muster under the circumstances and lost no time getting the space cleared. Both the physical that was her squad's quarters and the mental one that still held lingering pictures of Captain Sharon Raydor in positions that would definitely cause for arrest of her over imaginative brain cells.

'Now get me some information on that black SUV we've been searching for the last 24 hours. Lieutenant Tao, make sure you've got the right match with ballistics, heaven knows we don't want another episode on our hands, and Sgt. Gabriel, run the newly retrieved DNA through our database and see if you can find a match. Thank you! Thank you all so much!'


	2. Chapter 2

Brenda's neck was acting as if she'd fallen asleep on the edge of the table the night before, which unfortunately was exactly what had happened. The phone must have woken her, because one second after the initial loud crack in her shoulder, something was vibrating enough to make her head spin in its direction. Trying to tilt her head down enough to make out the caller-ID, Brenda noticed where the remains of last night's Chinese takeout had settled in for the night, as the last noodle was making its way down her bangs.

_Great._

'-Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson?' Brenda tried to focus on Sgt. Gabriel's voice, but almost slipped as she tried to multitask getting the noodle out and the coffeepot set and running.

'-Chief. I'm sorry to call you at this hour, but we've just received word about what's most likely a double homicide.'

'- What do you mean, most likely?'

'-Er… well, you see, the thing is, we only have one victim at the crime scene, but various witnesses stated there were two people involved and there's no one who can account for the whereabouts of the missing person. We're still securing the scene, so- hang on, thank you. Scratch that chief; we've got a double homicide on our hands.'

'-Alright, where are you?

Brenda had barely pulled in to the side as the last of her coffee managed to leave a stain on her flowery skirt as the remains of her cup was now soaking its way through it. If anyone dared question her driving abilities, she'd make sure the whole department's paperwork was given to whoever uttered the words.

Lt. Provenza was just about to comment when he saw the look on the Chiefs face and was instantly reminded of wife number 3, or it could have been 4, and decided to keep it for himself or at least wait until Flynn got there to take the heat.

'Lt. Provenza-'Brenda adjusted her eyes to the light as the early morning Los Angeles sun made its way through the morning mist. As she took in the crime scene she felt a little weight fall of her shoulder as she took in the neatly organized scene. This wouldn't take all day.

'-Chief Johnson!' Lt. Tao was making his way over to where Brenda was being briefed by St. Gabriel.

'-Good morning Lt. Tao. What do we have?'

'-Oh, it's quite simple actually, the bullets were an easy through and through, we've already located all the strays and sent them off to ballistics, but the best part of it-

'-Where's the victims?'

Sharon was always amused at watching Lieutenant Tao at work.

'-Walk with me!' It was like watching an after school special in how to proper walk the streets.

Brenda stopped to a halt when she realized FID had already made its way to the scene.

'-Sgt. Gabriel, you didn't tell me this was an officer involved shooting!'

'-Er, about that, well, the details weren't all in when I called you, and well, right after we'd hung up, FID came to the scene, and er… apparently…'

'-Apparently, one of Robbery-Homicide's officers, one by the name Gilbert Hubert, drew his weapon while under influence, and to make matters that much better for FID, he took at a shot at one of our victims here. Good morning Chief.' Sharon followed the stains down the awful skirt with a barely hidden smirk plastered across her lips.

'-Mornin' Captain.' The look Brenda shot Gabriel would have been enough to kill him at the spot, if it hadn't meant she would probably be hauled out of there by no other than the Captain herself, making the whole action work straight against her initial purpose. Being interrogated by Sharon Raydor for killing her own Sergeant was not on top of Brenda's list for the day.

Both women and a sulking Sgt. Gabriel had made their way to the first victim. The sheet was pulled back by Lt. Tao and followed up by his explanation:

'-Male, Caucasian, mid 20's, tall, probably around 6, 2''- 6, 3'', shot point blank twice. Once here', he gestured towards the man's abdomen, 'and one right…' Tao moved his hand further up to show the last bullets entry '…here. This one is still lodged between the eyes, making it cause of death. It entered before the man would have bled to death from the first bullet.'

'-Thank you Lt. Tao, do we know anything about the second victim?' Brenda made her way towards the other man lying on the pavement, trying her best to ignore the hard clicks the Captain's shoes made at impact with the hard ground.

'-Second victim, or actually, we believe he was shot first. If you see the blood spatter, he most likely tried to run after the first man, and was shot during pursuit. Fairly simple, one shot went straight through, and two other made its impact in his shoulder and his spine, possibly causing his heart to bleed out. Also mid 20's, Caucasian. No defensive wounds, no scuff marks. He never saw it coming.'

'-So what we know from this is we've got two victims, and officer involved shooting, one victim in the pursuit of the other. Do we know time of death?'

'-We believe it must have happened between 1and 3.30 last night.'

'-What about the bar? Did anyone see them there last night? ' Brenda tried to make out the words on the sign, but after some serious squinting and after reaching for her glasses, realizing they were most likely still on her counter next to her coffeepot, she gave a deep sigh and turned towards Gabriel again.

'-The bar is called 'Cougars club' and were open until 4AM last night, making it a possible place for the two victims to have been there before ending up here. The only problem is, there is two ways out, and they only use the back entrance on Saturday's, so no one would have had access to the alley from the club yesterday. We haven't been able to contact any of the guests there, other than Mr. Hubbert, but he didn't spend more than 10minutes there, searching for his wife.

'-Sgt. Gabriel, where are our witnesses?'

'-About that Chief, when we first got here, there was some misunderstandings, the… the only witness we have, is Mr. Hubbert.' So much for a short day.

'-Hang on, if he was only after finding his wife, how did he end up in this alley and why did he draw his gun?'

'-All good questions chief, and I'm sure I'll have all the answers for you as soon as I've interviewed Mr. Hubbert.' A smirk was forming on the Captain's lips as she spoke in her matter-of-factly tone, like she was going to get to interview the only witness they had before her. Let her dream on.

'-Of course, you want to go first?'

'-By all means, Chief, I'm entitled to go first. Whenever there's a police involved shooting, FID always goes first.'

'-Not if I go first.' Brenda knew it was cheap, she really did, but after the noodle in her hair, the humiliation of showing up at a crime scene with coffee stains all over her skirt, and then to see the Captain of Internal Affairs stand there like a ridiculous Armani commercial mixed with an ad for various hair products…

'-You're not serious, Chief?' Sharon couldn't believe her own ears, well, that was not entirely true, whenever dealing with Brenda Leigh Johnson you weren't entirely unprepared for such childish behavior.

'-Oh, serious as an Arkansas toothpick!'

Sharon was just about to get out of the couch as she heard a noise coming from the hallway.

After everything that had happened from the beginning of the day, having to go out to that crime scene, to later bantering with the Chief like two maniacs over who got to first interrogate their one and only witness- who apparently had been so drunk out of his mind after discovering the whereabouts of his wife, that he _thought_ he had opened fire, when in reality he had already been fast asleep in his bed _dreaming_ he had, woken up, and gone to the site of the crime scene to explain that he _had_ been there, but not really…The whole thing was absurd! The witnesses that were supposed to be there, but turned out to be nothing more than two of the new coroners that had arrived to his first crime scene before everyone else got there…

By the time Sharon had turned the key to her house, she had spared no time in getting out of her suit and into the shower, still fussing about the Chief out loud to whatever shampoo or conditioner bottle that would listen- found her old sweatpants, the one Brandon had given her after he'd gotten into Harvard, found an old LAPD t-shirt, sunk into the couch and opened a bottle of wine. She was going to have one glass and then make herself something to eat, but realized after a few sips, there was no way she'd bother dealing with cutting lettuce or heating baguettes. So she had just decided to order in while messing with her hair, realizing it would be best drying it before it got all tangled up when a noise caught her attention.

'-Sarah?' Sharon contemplated the fact that it could have been her daughter coming home from college early, but as she reached for her gun that was taped underneath the kitchen counter, she eyed the calendar she kept on her fridge confirming Sarah wouldn't be home in another eight days.

There was the noise again. Damn it, she didn't become a member of the police to play a damsel in distress!

'-Who's there?' Sharon made her way across the living room, and bent down behind the couch that was facing the TV, but still had a clear shot to the hallway entrance.

'-Yo hoo! Sorry! The bell was broken, or I couldn't see it, still not sure where I left those glasses and the porch light was still on, so I figured you were home and hoped you'd still be up.' Brenda had still not turned around from where she was closing the door behind her.

'-Chief Johnson?' Sharon's first reaction was to shout at her for scaring the crap out of her, but then again, she probably looked well prepared from where the Chief was standing, as she was still clutching her gun and aiming at her, and she really didn't want to give the woman the satisfaction.

'-Ah! Put down your gun Cap'n!' Brenda had finally turned around to see Sharon positioned behind the couch. Sharon realized she had frozen more than what seemed necessary as she now knew who her supposed assailant was, but still her gun seemed to act on its own accord.

'-What are you doing here?'

'-Chief Pope sent me, oh for the love of…, will you lower your weapon?' Sharon, more than a little reluctant, made her way around the couch and stood beside the table, gun now on top of it. She could sense a little hesitation from the woman, but didn't think more of it until she realized her hair had been dripping wet before she had heard the noise, and her white t-shirt now looked like it had entered a wet t-shirt competition.

'-Whatever this is about, couldn't it wait till tomorrow? To be honest, I think I've had it with Major Crimes for one day-'She didn't exactly feel great standing there with what she knew to be a completely see-through t-shirt, but if it helped getting rid of the Chief, she wasn't above doing it. And by the look of Ms. Johnson's face, whatever Sharon's suits hid at work, it was something to be researching, because she had yet to take her eyes off of her.

'Chief?' Enough was enough. Sharon quickly covered her assets with folding her arms over her chest and watched as a blush crept over the Chief's features.

'-I… I'm just here to ask you for your… cooperation.' Now Brenda was the one unable to move. What was WRONG with her? Staring at some woman, no, not even _some _woman, but Captain Raydor's chest? Someone up there must have something in for her directing this day to be a complete catastrophe.

'-My cooperation? I'm sorry, but I think we stated that I'm being more than cooperative, remember earlier today? When I let _you_ go first in interviewing our only witness?

'-MY only witness, it's my case. And you didn't let me; I go first when it's my case.

'-If you-'The woman was about to act irrationally, and Brenda did not want to think of the outcome.

'-Stop! Wait, wait, wait!' Brenda let her hands fly up in surrender, having already let her temper getting the worst of her when she had promised herself to stay calm.

'Like I said, Assistant Chief Will Pope sent me here tonight to make you a deal.'

'-Chief _Pope_ sent you here? Why couldn't he just have caught up with me tomorrow during office hours, or I don't know, called? Why would he send you?'

'-Oh wow you ask a lot of questions. Let's see if I can't answer to your full satisfaction.'

Brenda smiled weakly while she tried to calm herself enough to actually state her case and reason before finding herself miraculously for the seventh time today one of the two half's in a mindless banter.

'Alright. As you know, today didn't not go down exactly as planned, when it turned out our only witness to the murderers gave a false statement, that he himself was too intoxicated to realize himself, giving his state- not to mention the confidentiality agreement between owner of the bar and her guests, which once again, was not taken into consideration when trying to break this case-'

'-Did you really show up uninvited to my house to recite my own report that I gave you not more than one hour ago?' The woman was unbelievable!

'-Wait for it! Will Pope said you'd might want to invest some more time in Major Crimes to see how well we work together and see how our department draws benefit from… from…'

'-You're making stuff up as you go, aren't you. _Chief?_'

'-Oh, fine! I need another female officer to help me with a sting operation.' Brenda cursed herself for trying to outsmart the woman before her. She had been working way to close to her to know where she would tell a white lie and where she was simply searching for words to help her along.

'-And _I_ was the natural choice?' Sharon couldn't help but think of this as one big joke.

'-Well. As much as I hate to say this, you'd be perfect for it.' Brenda uttered the words with an irritated sigh as her eyes graced the soft curves of the Captain standing in front of her.

'_-Really?'_

'-Some of the other officers, made me… aware… of certain… attributes you inhabit that would be beneficial for this sort of undercover operation.

'-And what would that be?'

'- In most human cultures and species of primates, the most sexually powerful females are post-pubescent females displaying adult secondary sexual characteristics, something about a spine, and something about indications of good health and something else they informed me about.'

'-Excuse me?' Sharon tried to recall if the other woman had smacked her over the head sometime during the day and she'd forgotten about it, because she could not just have heard that coming from Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson.

'-We're going hunting for prey at the cougar club.'

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

It's not like the dripping wet t-shirt or the hair that caused it to be see-through hadn't been enough. To see someone as tightly knit as Captain Sharon Raydor out of her element, being completely surprised by a fellow officer in her own home, wearing old grey sweatpants, so far from her usual attire… Brenda would have kicked herself if she hadn't been wrapped up in her blanket so tightly.

She had rushed away from the Captains house as soon as she uttered the words 'prey hunting' and as she made a mental note out of assigning her whole department to paperwork to come up with that… woman, as their best choice in accompanying their boss's dirty work…. She made the resolution to get straight home to her bed and forget the last 20 minutes ever happened.

The first thing she would have to do the next morning was to go shopping to find something slutty enough for what would certainly be the worst night of her life. And that was counting the night Fritzi stormed out, and the day she had decided to put Kitty to rest.

The night club did not give out any information about their regular costumers, or any of its employers. The only way Brenda could get the information she needed was to go into the club herself and get people to talk to her. She would have gone alone, if it hadn't been for the useless rules Will had enforced making it impossible for her to do so without being accompanied by a fellow officer. Flynn had volunteered Provenza to dress up in drag, but other than that, their best solution was to find another woman in the department who would fit the criteria.

'-She would have to look good.'

'-Sorry Provenza, that means you're out of the race.' Sanchez threw in, amusing the rest of the department while getting batting eyelashes from the man in question.

'-And why is that, Lt. Flynn?' Brenda was more than willing to play on her femininity when it came to getting what she wanted, but the pure act of putting herself out there with no utter motives was beyond her understanding. She was truly a feminist at heart.

'-Because we wouldn't want people to be suspicious of your presence there, and it wouldn't make sense if you showed up there looking your best and then being out of the question for most guys because you're dragging along some hag.'

'-Watch your mouth Lt.! And take that back! Don't ever judge people by their appearance when I'm around ever again, is that clear?'

'-…other than that, you agree, right? Chief?' Flynn knew just how to play her, giving her a compliment disguised as complete douche bag. If she hadn't known that Flynn didn't mean anything with it, she'd sign him up for sensitivity classes.

'-Do you have anyone in mind?' Brenda knew this was the only way to get her answers and close the case; so far they had nothing to go with.

'-How about Captain Raydor?' To everyone's surprise it didn't come from either Flynn or Provenza, but rather Lt. Tao, who was already searching through pictures of various departments and had Raydor's picture up.

'-Actually, that might not be such a bad idea. I mean, our departments are familiar with each other, and…' Gabriel had until now been quiet in regards to their new and only plan in the case.

'-Alright. Who should tell her? I'd be happy to tell her she's about to get ordered from the Assistant Chief himself to be true self for one evening without having to hide.'

'-Pope? What does he have to do with this?' Provenza had turned around to Flynn who was grinning dreamily out in the open office space.

'-Oh come on, you really think the woman will go willingly if the Chief asks her? Nah, Chief' here he turned towards Brenda in all seriousness 'you're gonna have to go through Pope to bring her along on this one.'

'-Actually, it might even be to your advantage if you spill some words about what it would involve. Throw out some descriptions of a cougar and she'll hopefully take the bait.'

It had been a terrible idea from the very beginning.

'-Is that what you're planning on wearing?'

'-What's wrong with this?'

'-Oh, I'm sorry, Chief, I thought the purpose was to get people to talk with us to get information about the murders, not try and sell them bibles or get them to join you at Sunday school.

'-For your information, this, is my work clothes, I've got all that other stuff in my office!'

'-Really? So, if I were to walk into your office, let's say, right…' Sharon had called her bluff and was on her way through her doors.

'-Wait!'

'-I just want you to say it! Admit it, you need my help.'

'-What, you've got the prostitute costume of the year hidden underneath that trench coat of yours?'

'-I have a 21 year old daughter, and I know what makes my 19 year old son take a second glance after someone , is that good enough of an explanation for you?'

'-Fine! Meet me downstairs in ten minutes, and we'll go find _something_.'

'-Where are you taking me?'

'-Don't worry, I know just the place. A friend of mine owns a store down on 8th and Spring Street.'

'-You've got friends?'

'-I'm sorry, If I recall correctly, and we both know I do, so don't even start, _you_ came to _me_, because I was _the only one_ who could help you in this case, do you really think _this_, is going to make it any easier on any of us?

'- Wait a minute, you weren't the _only one_, and I don't _need_ help, I just need someone permitted to hold a gun and use it if necessary, and it helps that you look the way you do plus you were already familiar with the case!' Brenda caught herself and realized she was really making this worse. The least she could do was to try and act civilized.

'I mean… I'm sorry, I you're right. It just slipped out…?' Ok, so maybe she didn't sound as sincere as she hoped, but hopefully Raydor would let this one slip by.

'-That you lie for a living surprises me when you can be this bad at it.' _Apparently not._

They came into a small boutique that reminded Brenda a lot about the one she had found herself in during her second case as Chief of the LAPD. There were cream colored walls in an open space nearly suffocating her in high end class.

'-Captain, this looks a bit too… high end for what our operation requires, don't you think?'

'-Chief,' Sharon was trying to choose her words carefully not to start a new banter in the middle of her friends store, 'Did you ever get to see "Pretty Woman"?

'-Yes, I did!' Brenda was positively beaming at her, because she actually _had_ seen that one, and the satisfaction that Raydor didn't just find a new reason to look at her as an alien for everything _IN _made her feel very pleased with herself. 'That's exactly who I had in mind when I knew we had to do this!'

'-Then let me emphasize my question; do you remember what she was wearing in that one?'

'- I do!'

'-Then you know that was twenty years ago and no one would be caught dead in those outfits even if it had been their very last resort. And right there is why you need my help, or should I say, Mel's help.'

'-I knew that.' She really didn't. 'Who's Mel?'

As if she'd been an actress waiting for her queue, Sharon saw Mel coming in from the backroom.

'-Sharon! Oh my god, what are you doing here at this hour? Don't tell me they let you out? Shush, don't tell me, you broke free!'

'-Mel! It's so good to see you! As Mel draped her arms around her in a hug Sharon whispered 'seriously, you have no idea!' only making Mel laugh even harder and respond with kissing her cheek.

'-Well what are you doing here? We missed you last night! I swear, if you'd been there we wouldn't have to relive Trinny and Susan's trip to Cabo- slideshow for slideshow desperately waiting for them to tell us the big secret they were waiting to tell us all about.'

'-What? What are you talking about?'

'-I wouldn't know, let me see if I remember it correctly; _'Melanie James Parker, Gina Constanze Risoli,_ oh yes, they were on middle name basis by this time, _Katherine Linda Aralis, you know, as well as Trinny and I, that we would never tell something like this if not all of us were here! Now where's Sharon?' _So where were you? We tried calling your cell like a hundred times!'

'-Oh I'm so sorry! I managed to leave my charger at work! Oh, I wonder what it is! You think they've finally gotten an answer from the adoption agency?'

'-Oh, that could make sense! That _would_ make sense, because we all know they want you to be their little toddlers godmother! Oh, you think that's why they were in Mexico? Oh, a little baby on the way! But seriously, where were you?'

'-Something came up, or, _someone_ came up.' Sharon had automatically rolled her eyes in Brenda's direction.

'-What? You're not… really?' Sharon could see the wheels turning in her friends head, and tried her best to not laugh at the absurdity.

'-No! Of course not!' She turned around to see Brenda standing between to racks of suits looking like a lost girl in the woods trying to find her way to grandma's house.

'-Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson, meet Melanie James Parker. She will be our guide for the day.'

'-I will?' Mel crooked an eyebrow all too familiar with some of Sharon's stunts. 'I will. _Where_ exactly am I guiding you?'

'-I'm really not at liberty to say.' Brenda had seen the interaction between the two women and even if she hadn't exactly tried to listen in on their conversation, her own curiosity had reached a new peak when learning this new information that someone would actually have Raydor as their child's godmother. What was this unborn creature? The spawn of pure evil? Because then, and only then, would that ever be appropriate… Another thing that had stroked her as she observed the two women's interaction was how… friendly Sharon had seemed. She had let the other woman hug her? Kiss her cheek? Brenda was definitely realizing some things, but she was not sure exactly what just yet. Why did she feel the need to act so hostile towards this woman?

'-Excuse the Chief here for a moment Mel, I wasn't sure how well she would react in a normal setting with actual human beings she couldn't boss around, clearly, she still has some adjustment problems.' Sharon shot Brenda a dirty look that only managed to piss Brenda even more off.

'We need two outfits for an operation, and I'm sure she'll slaughter me the first chance she'll get if I say more about it than the fact that we need to look… desirable for young men.'

'-….desirable for young men… Sharon? Are you feeling alright? Because the last time you uttered those words you were 16 and drunk out of your senses and one happening three minutes later made you change your view on preferable for the rest of your life. Not that I take credit, or anything.' Mel's laughter blossomed throughout the whole store and left Sharon regretting coming there for a second, then she realized she was only stating the facts, and didn't realize Sharon really wasn't that close to the woman she'd brought with her to reveal such information.

'-Alright, that's enough. Now, get into sales woman mode and show me what I need.' They shared a little moment and left it at that, knowing they'd get back to it over some red wine later in the week.

'-Well of course Captain, anything you say Captain.' Mel always knew the words to get her mind spinning back to that _incident_.

'-Don't look so uptight Sharon,' she gently slapped the Captain on her butt as she lead the way, and to Brenda's surprise, it didn't seem to set of some trigger with Raydor making her go off like a raving lunatic. No, actually to Brenda's surprise the woman smirked and went with her still chuckling at something Brenda couldn't say for sure if she fully understood.

'-That woman….?'

Brenda was standing in the middle of her bedroom staring at her reflection in the ridiculously observant full length mirror. She remembered the last time she'd been standing there scrutinizing herself this closely. Like the last time it involved a dress, a murder, Sharon Raydor and the fact that she knew she had to, but didn't want to do what she was currently getting ready for.

Her phone buzzed and after stumbling over the three pairs of shoes she'd been trying out, deciding upon which to wear, she caught the little devil right before her leg made its impact on the corner of the bed.

'-Oh shoot!'

'-Good evening to you too, Chief.'

'-I'm sorry, I was just…' Of course she _could_ explain the rude answer and the additional information about the bruises she was feeling already swelling where the hardwood had met her skin, but she really didn't feel the need to initiate a smirk on the other end of the line. 'Never mind, Captain, what can I do for you?'

'-I'm just calling to confirm the need to go down at the station before we head out for this memorable evening.' _Boy did the women know her sarcasm._

'-Sure, as a matter of fact, I was just getting ready to head out now.'

'-Great, I'll see you soon then. Chief.' The other woman had already hung up.

'-No, I have no idea what she thinks of this all. No, ha-ha, that's impossible. Well, did you tell her so to her face, or did do go about it your usual way? Now that, I have no trouble believing. Oh will you stop it! I'm at work! No, I did not tell her that. Please, it's completely work related! Oh, hang on, someone's at the door.'

Brenda didn't even have the chance to act embarrassed about the fact that she had walked in on the other woman deep in a conversation she most likely wasn't supposed to listen in on, since the Captain merely looked up from behind her desk with a roll of her eyes.

'-Ok Mel, listen up, the Chief just walked in to my office … I'm sure she would mind that very much yes… fine. Chief, a certain Ms. Parker wants to know if you've decided to go ahead with the red or the black dress.

Sharon hesitated a couple of seconds before she pressed the speaker button on her phone so that Mel could communicate directly with the Chief, since she now saw it as her legacy to make the woman turn from southern hillbilly to LA fashionable.

'-Good Evening Chief!'

'-Good evening to you too Mrs. Parker.' Brenda gave a little not to the device where the voice came from.

'-So, I gave Sharon the clothes I picked out to you after you guys rushed over to that crime scene of yours. She should have them right there in her office. Shar?'

'-Hang on.' Sharon came out from behind her desk and went over to the high closet that usually held all the boxes with files and evidence from officer involved shootings. Now however she reached for the very top of the shelves, where two cream colored bags had been stored. Brenda reached for the little purple bow on the handles and gave a little sigh. This was not how her ideal Saturday night would go.

'-Shar, did you get it?'

'-Yes, I got it Mel.'

'-I'm just curious weather she likes it or not!'

'-Oh I'm sure it's gonna be everything I had in mind.' _Oh god please let it be something I wouldn't be ashamed of being found dead in._

'-Yeah, like you actually gave your outfit any thought.' Unbelievable! She chose _now_ to pick on her? _That woman!_

'-Oh well, I'm sorry, I was more concerned about getting us the fake ID's!'

'-Oh, careful Shar, kitty's got claws!' she did not just say that.

'-Mel! Can we please just get this over with?' If Brenda hadn't been completely oblivious to the other woman in the room instead of trying to shoot the phone a dirty look she would have seen a gently blush slowly making its way up the other woman's cheek.

Brenda pulled out the thin fabric and couldn't help but let a little yelp escape.

'_-What was that?'_

'-I think... That was the sound of someone freaking out. I told you we should have gone for the other one…' Sharon stared at Brenda and tried to figure out if the woman was actually breathing or if she was lost somewhere where inhaling wasn't mandatory.

'-No, it's just. It's. I... It's...' Brenda held up the little red number with eyes large as her black purse. It was like running your fingers through air, because there was NOTHING there. If Brenda could remember correctly there were at least something resembling clothes in that movie she had seen, but this….

'_-Are you sure she's alright?' _

'-Oh god, Chief, wrong bag! Sharon clasped her hands before her mouth and threw herself at the bag Brenda was holding.

'I… why don't we just, get you the right one. Alright.' Sharon turned towards the closet again, closed her eyes while taking a deep breath and didn't even manage to turn herself around to give the Chief the right bag.

'_-Shar? You didn't! Oh my god!'_ The other woman on the line was now clutching her stomach from laughing her ass off. 'You should probably tell her it was just a joke from me.'

'-Thank you Mel, remind me to kill you the next time I see you.' Brenda couldn't help but find the woman's ability to pull herself together any less than remarkable. Two seconds after being confronted with what Brenda could only assume was a serious hot piece of underwear and the woman was all business.

'_-Oh, you'll get over it. Did she like what I picked out?'_

'-Oh! Yes! Compared to what I thought I'd be forced to wear this is perfect!' Brenda couldn't help but give the Captain a little smirk.

'-Great! I thought the red would hug all the right places, and since you've got the breasts to go with it, you would do the cleavage some justice. Now, if you'd take the shoes Sharon has in the back of her closet you should be all set. There's a little something for you in the bag I put in there too.'

Brenda walked over to the bag and reached inside to find a tube of lipstick marked 'kissage delight'. It was a reddish-brown. Probably the only one she hadn't tried out after Daniels remark about her lips being too big for her face.

'I just figured the color would compliment your skin tone.'

'-Wow, Mrs. Parker, I don't know what to say. Thank you.'

Don't worry about it, I still haven't sent the bill to Major Crimes. Hang on now, now we know what the Chief will wear, what are you wearing Shar? Oh, if you haven't decided yet, you should choose that green of yours. Or, no, take the black with the open back and the black and red Louboutin shoes. Oh god, yes, take those, who wouldn't want to check you out then!

_This woman was overly familiar with the Captains closet._

_Wait a minute? What was this feeling? It wasn't like SHE wanted to know what was inside Raydor's closet… it was more like, she felt she should know, just for the sake of knowing. This was weird. And something she couldn't fully explain or understand herself._


	4. Chapter 4

Brenda was standing in the middle of her bedroom staring at her reflection in the ridiculously observant full length mirror. She remembered the last time she'd been standing there scrutinizing herself this closely. Like the last time it involved a dress, a murder, Sharon Raydor and the fact that she knew she had to, but didn't want to do what she was currently getting ready for.

Her phone buzzed and after stumbling over the three pairs of shoes she'd been trying out, deciding upon which to wear, she caught the little devil right before her leg made its impact on the corner of the bed.

'-Oh shoot!'

'-Good evening to you too, Chief.'

'-I'm sorry, I was just…' Of course she _could_ explain the rude answer and the additional information about the bruises she was feeling already swelling where the hardwood had met her bare skin, but she really didn't feel the need to initiate a smirk on the other end of the line. 'Never mind, Captain, what can I do for you?'

'-I'm just calling to confirm the need to go down at the station before we head out for this memorable evening.' _Boy did the women know her sarcasm._

'-Sure, as a matter of fact, I was just getting ready to head out now.'

'-Great, I'll see you soon then. Chief.' The other woman had already hung up.

'-No, I have no idea what she thinks of all this. No, ha-ha, that's impossible. Well, did you tell her so to her face, or did do go about it your usual way? Now that, I have no trouble believing. Oh will you stop it! I'm at work! No, I did not tell her that. Please, it's completely work related! Oh, hang on, someone's at the door.'

Brenda didn't even have the chance to act embarrassed about the fact that she had walked in on the other woman deep in a conversation she most likely wasn't supposed to listen in on, since the Captain merely looked up from behind her desk rolling her eyes at the phone gesturing for her to enter.

'-Ok Mel, listen up, the Chief just walked in to my office … I'm sure she would mind that very much yes… _fine_.' The Captain covered the phone with a hand. 'Chief, a certain Ms. Parker wants to know if you've decided to go ahead with the red or the black dress.

Sharon hesitated a couple of seconds before she pressed the speaker button on her phone so that Mel could communicate directly with the Chief, since she now saw it as her legacy to make the woman turn from southern hillbilly to LA fashionable.

'_-Good Evening Chief!'_

'-Good evening to you too Mrs. Parker.' Brenda gave a little nod to the device where the voice came from.

'_-So, I gave Sharon the clothes I picked out to you after you guys rushed over to that crime scene of yours. She should have them right there in her office. Shar?'_

'-Hang on.' Sharon came out from behind her desk and went over to the high closet that usually held all the boxes with files and evidence from officer involved shootings. Now however she reached for the very top of the shelf, where two cream colored bags had been stored. Brenda reached for the little purple bow on the handle and gave a little sigh. This was not how her ideal Saturday night would go.

'_-Shar, did you get it?'_

'-_Yes_, I got it Mel.'

'_-I'm just curious weather she likes it or not!'_

'-Oh I'm sure it's gonna be everything I had in mind.' Brenda couldn't help the running thought in her head at the second: _Oh god please let it be something I wouldn't be ashamed of being found dead in._

'-Yeah, like you actually gave your outfit any thought.' Sharon gave a little snort, but quickly recovered with covering it up as a fake cough. Unbelievable! She chose _now_ to pick on her? _That woman! _ Fine, if it was a fight she wanted…

'-Oh well, I'm sorry, I was more concerned about getting us the fake ID's!'

'_-Oh, careful there Shar, kitty's got claws!' _She did not just say that to the chief! Sharon was wondering if she should laugh of make an excuse for her friend.

'-Mel! Can we please just get this over with?' If Brenda hadn't been completely oblivious to the other woman in the room instead of trying to shoot the phone a dirty look she would have seen a gently blush slowly making its way up the other woman's cheek.

Brenda pulled out the thin fabric and couldn't help but let a little yelp escape.

'_-What was that?'_

'-I think... That was the sound of someone freaking out. I told you we should have gone for the other one…' Sharon stared at Brenda and tried to figure out if the woman was actually breathing or if she was lost somewhere where inhaling and exhaling wasn't mandatory.

'-No, it's just. It's. I... It's...' Brenda held up the little red number like she would have held something she was about to lock into evidence. It was like running your fingers through air, because there was NOTHING there. If Brenda could remember correctly there were at least something resembling clothes in that movie she had seen, but this….

'_-Are you sure she's alright?' _

'-Oh god, Chief, wrong bag! Sharon clasped her hands before her mouth and threw herself at the bag Brenda was holding.

'I… why don't we just, get you the right one. Alright.' Sharon turned towards the closet again, closed her eyes while taking a deep breath and didn't even manage to turn herself around to give the Chief the right bag so she settled for tossing it across the room.

'_-Shar? You didn't! Oh my god!'_ The other woman on the line was now clutching her stomach from laughing her ass off. _'You should probably tell her it was my fault.'_

'-Thank you Mel, remind me to kill you the next time I see you.' Brenda couldn't help but find the woman's ability to pull herself together any less than remarkable. Two seconds after being confronted with what Brenda could only assume was a serious hot piece of lingerie and the woman was all business.

'_-Oh, you'll get over it. Did she like what I picked out?'_

'-Oh! Yes! Compared to what I thought I'd be forced to wear this is perfect!' Brenda couldn't help but give the Captain a little smirk.

'-Great! I thought the red one would hug all the right places, and since you've got the breasts to go with it, you would do the cleavage some justice. Now, if you'd take the shoes Sharon has in the back of her closet you should be all set. There's a little something for you in the bag I put in there too.'

Brenda walked over to the bag and reached inside to find a tube of lipstick marked "After midnight kissage". It was a reddish-brown. Probably the only one she hadn't tried out after Sgt. Daniels remark about her lips being too big for her face.

'_I just figured the color would compliment your skin tone.'_

'- Mrs. Parker, I don't know what to say. Thank you.'

'_-Don't worry about it, I still haven't sent the bill to Major Crimes. Hang on, now we know what the Chief will wear, what are you wearing Shar? Oh, if you haven't decided yet, you should choose that green of yours. Or, no, take the black with the open back and the black and red Louboutin shoes. Oh god, yes, take those, who wouldn't want to check you out then!'_

Brenda couldn't help but notice this woman was overly familiar with the Captains closet.

Wait a minute? What was this feeling? It wasn't like SHE wanted to know what was inside Raydor's closet… it was more like, she felt she should know, just for the sake of knowing. This was weird. And something she couldn't fully explain or understand herself.

'-Oh there you guys are! We're just about ready with the wires, and the ID's are right there.'

'-Thank you Sgt. Tao.' Brenda gave the man a genuine smile, feeling a little bad for holding him back at work late a Saturday night when he really should have been home with his kids and wife. Her smile soon turned poisoned when the turned around to find Andy Flynn staring at her ass. 'Sgt. Flynn?'

Flynn had taken his time studying the Chief as she'd come through the offices of the Murder Room, and by the look of his face, he did not have any trouble appreciating the short dress his Chief was sporting.

'-Nope Chief, I'm good.' He added a little whistle to his appreciation which served him a glare sharp enough to shut him up.

'-So, how are we on the update from the morgue?'

'-All we know is that the coroner is consistent with what was already predicted on the crime scene, we still have no ID's for the two, and there are no missing persons files to compare their DNA to.' Stg. Gabriel had seen his boss in a dress many times before, he'd even seen her changing while working on his second case with her when she'd fist come to LAPD, but that dress did not come close to what the Chief was wearing now.

'So everything will depend on what you'll find out tonight.'

_Great_.

'-Tao, where's the ID's?'

'-Allow me Chief.' Provenza rolled around from his desk with two laminated cards and a smile plastered across his face.

'-Dee Ville and Dorothy Sunbeam?

'-Well, we thought the Wicked Witch would raise suspicion.' Flynn shrugged his shoulder making it seem like it was the most natural assumption in the world.

'-Dorothy Sunbeam? It sounds like a stripper's name!'

'-You're not seeing the big picture here Chief. When you read the Captains name its Dee, last name Ville- but, and here's the brilliant part; the L and E's are silent! Devil! Get it?'

'-I see the 4 months of sensitivity training got you nowhere, Lt. Provenza?'

Apparently the Captain had decided upon what to wear, because what was walking into their Murder Room did not look like a Captain or even very human. What greeted them was something you'd see in a dream right before you woke up cursing yourself for not being able to go back to where you left off when you finally managed to get back to sleep. She was nothing less than a sight for the heavens. She wore the black and read Louboutin shoes alright, but that's not what caught their attention. The black trench coat was hanging over her shoulder, leaving nothing unrevealed. A black dress made of silk was shimmying itself down her curves, her hair was pulled to one side in a messy pigtail, and apparently she'd gone for the open back one. If someone was uncertain what the color of her bra where, there was no need to wonder any longer, because it was there for the whole world to see

'Devil, clever. Are we ready to get this over with?' Apparently Sharon was oblivious to the stares she received, or just did her very best to ignore them as she went over to where Brenda was standing with the ID's in her hand.

'-Yes Captain, just let us put the wires on and then we're all set from here. We'll be monitoring your activities and be able to get to you within minutes if you need backup. Ok, Chief, If you'll just stretch your… there we go. Alright. Captain?'

'-Why don't I do the honors?' Flynn had managed to get his jaw back up from the floor and was now appreciating the fact that even in her killer heels he was still raging taller than her with a perfect insight to that bra of hers. Deep purple. Who would have known…?

'-You? You don't even know what goes where!' Provenza was going on his sixth wife, but he was still not sure if seven wouldn't turn out to be the lucky number, even if it came in a package marked Wicked Witch. If that was what he got when he unwrapped her, he would sure as hell give it a shot.

'-And you do?' Sanchez hadn't kissed another woman since that severe judgment flaw of his when he'd put his moves on with the transsexual they'd encountered some months back. He needed something to wash away that memory, and the black dress in front of him was enough to make him consider taking off his wedding ring, even if it was just for one kiss.

'-Gentlemen, please. , hand me the wire.' Brenda turned around to watch the Captain raise her eyebrow in question. She took a deep breath and walked over to the other woman and leaned in to brush away her hair from her neck. She took a step closer and leaned in to sneak her arms around the gentle curves of the Captain. She was close enough to smell the scent from her hair. Honey… combined with a fresh smell of perfume that made her think about the flowery beds on midsummer nights around the house where she'd grown up. She accidentally brushed across the Captains bra when she tried to hide the microphone. The other woman shivered underneath her touch and Brenda found herself holding back a gasp.

Oh sweet lord she was in trouble.


	5. Chapter 5

The streets were already illuminated in the various blinking signs from the clubs and bars down the street. There were teenagers on every corner, smoking, laughing. Couples or, knowing kids these days, most likely random encounters getting together for the night only kissing or hooking up in the alleys. They acted as if they didn't have a care in the world, or ignored every sign of tragedy that stroked them. Brenda almost envied them their state of not caring, but at the same time she couldn't help but feel sorry for their soon to be shattered innocence.

'-Are you sure you're ready for this, _Dorothy_?' Sharon couldn't help but smirk at the woman beside her; she looked like she fitted right in, but her eyes told a whole different story. The Chief was definitely out of her territory.

'-Of course I'm ready. I didn't spend three hours applying makeup and god knows what just to _not_ be ready for this! Come on; let's just get this over with.'

Brenda and Sharon had just made their way over to the curb of the sidewalk where the line started when something neither of them had anticipated happened.

'-Ladies, ladies, we're fully booked for tonight. We can't take anyone else unless someone leaves first. I'm sorry.' The security guard was standing with three out throwers measuring up the long line.

'-Are you kidding me?' Brenda stomped her foot in the ground like a three year old who had just found out she wouldn't be getting ice cream before dinner. She caught herself just a fraction of a second before Sharon was about to comment on it, and bit her lip while trying the wreck her brain for a solution.

'We can't just flash our badges, since they won't take us in without alerting everyone about our presence and stop them from talking to us.'

'-Giving up that easily Dorothy?' Brenda _hated_ that smirk! Even more so when the other woman looked like she might have a plan.

'-Sharon?'

Sharon made a big number out of holding her gaze until she finally turned gracefully to see who the caller was.

'Sharon! What are you doing here?'

'-Matt! Hi! When did you get home? It's so good to see you. You look great! And I'm sorry, I couldn't tell you even if I wanted to, you know how it is.' Sharon smiled in a way she had never done before after giving the young man a hug. It was warm, and she had meant it. Brenda had to blink twice to see if she had imagined it.

'-Don't worry, I get it. Are you going in?' The young man flipped his hair out of his eyes to make out the other woman standing there with her. And then he made a second glance at the sign and started laughing.

'-Well, that was the plan, but the doorman just informed us that they're fully booked for the night.'

'-Really?' Matt stood on his toes to get a glimpse of the doorman, 'don't worry about it, I know this guy, we go way back, and he owes me one, let me see what I can do, ok?'

Brenda was about to ask who the young man was but before she'd had the chance he was back with a grin on his face.

'It's alright, you're in.'

'-Thank you Matt! I'll make sure to mention this to your mother the next time I see her!'

'-Alright, let's make a deal, when you come Thursday, if I could mention that I ran over the rosebushes with the car before you tell her, maybe she'll go a little more easy on me?'

'-Ha-ha, I'll even help you cover it up before she notices it.'

'-Alright Shar, see, this is why I keep her around.' He smiled to Brenda and mockingly pushed Sharon while they both laughed. 'You sure you're in the right club? Cougars, Shar? Come on, we both know-'

'-Run along now, and I'll see if I can explain more to you when this is all over.' Sharon gently laid her hands on his shoulder and pushed him along a few steps until the young man's steps turned into a light jog to catch up with his friends.'-Thursday! Bring your gardening skills!'

Sharon laughed to herself and before she knew it, it slipped out; information about her that the Chief really didn't need to know about.

'-Matt, I'm his fake-aunt. He just got back from UCLA.' At least her brain had managed to keep it short.

'-Alright.' Brenda slowly nodded and opened her mouth to say something, but the words that wanted to escape were quickly silenced by Sharon.

'-Alright! Here we go!' Yes, _here we go_…

They had every intention of staying sober while being undercover, but there were just so much that could be tossed from mouth to mouth before it became evident there would be another officer involved shooting if someone didn't come to their senses and crack that seal on the tequila bottle.

Both women ordered a shot before settling down at the bar, seeing as that would have been what they'd normally do, if it was a different setting, and in someone else's company. Everyone knew the best way of getting information from places like this, was from the person serving the drinks.

'-So, is this the place to be on a Saturday night, or did we make a wrong turn somewhere?' Brenda was finally getting the feeling that she was back on her own turfs. If this bartender knew something, she'd get it out of him.

'-That all depends on what you're looking for, now, doesn't it?' He was mixing a drink that looked like it had come straight from a chlorine pool; Brenda looked at the context and saw him handing it to a man in his early thirties who gulped it down in mere seconds before ordering a new one.

'-Oh, I don't know? We had our eyes set on two young men that we saw here yesterday, they told us they'd be back tonight. I don't know if you'd remember them? One was about 6"1, the other 6"2, both Caucasian, in their mid 20's, one was wearing black pants, a tattoo on his forearm-

'-And both men looking mighty fine, if you don't mind me saying so!' Sharon gave the bartender a flirtatious look and left him hanging there while she leaned over to Brenda. She gave a lingering smile to the man before whispering in Brenda's ear.

'-With all due respect Chief, this is not helping, you're sounding like a cop, not like someone trying to get laid!' Sharon smiled to the bartender again and dragged Brenda off her chair.

'I'm sorry, excuse me and my friend for a second, will you? She's not usually like this, she gets very nervous around… well, you know how you look.' Brenda found herself being dragged towards the ladies room.

'-What do you think you're doing? He was just about to tell me what I wanted to know!'

'-Trust me, he wasn't, he's been spending the last ten minutes staring down your cleavage. The only information you'll get from him is his phone number.'

'-What, he was not!' Brenda looked down at herself and realized the red number she was wearing was far from modest when it came to cleavage, but that did not automatically mean what the Captain was implying.

'-Trust me Chief, with boobs like that, I don't blame him. Now, let me just,' Sharon reached for the red scrungie and pulled it out, 'there we go; hopefully now I'll be able to look you in the eyes.' The Captain was so close to her she could make out every freckle on her nose. She hadn't noticed them before.

'-What are you talking about?'

'-Let's get something straight, we can't beat around the bush with this one, are you ready for the truth to come out?'

Brenda realized she was holding her breath. This was too soon, she didn't even know she had considered any step there may or may not be when it came to Sharon Raydor. The truth? As in the woman knew she'd been staring at her from behind her desk at the station when she would walk into the murder room with those tight fitting pants, the one who were hugging all the right places.

'Are you even listening to me?'

The was she annoyed the bejeezus out of her by simply opening that mouth of hers, that she wanted to close up with doing things she shouldn't even be considering inside the confide of her own head? That truth?

'-Captain Ray… I mean, _Dee_. I don't think this is either the place or the time for me to say that…' The other woman cut her off.

'-what do you mean it's not the time? We're right where we should be!'

'-I know, but I'm not even sure whether or not I'm capable of doing what you do.'

'-What I do? It's easy, just take a step back from being the Chief, and look at this as a learning period in your life. That's how you discover exactly what you're capable of, and what to do differently the next time.'

'-I can't just break out of who I am to follow my urges!'

'-Urges? I'm not sure I'm following you? What urges?' The woman looked sincerely confused.

'-What are you talking about?'_ Oh no… _

'-I'm talking about the fact that you just need to loosen up a bit in there and not act like a cop. And that I'm ready to get to the truth in this case. What were _you_ talking about?'

'-That's what I meant! That's _exactly_ what I was talking about-'Brenda bit down her tongue to stop herself from admitting anything else that shouldn't be said or thought about ever again. If this woman was playing oblivious she was doing one fine job.

'-Ok! Then we're settled, let's get out of here and crack some witnesses-' Two women in their early 50's walked into the stall where they were standing, singing loud and staggering towards the toilet, no doubt to empty the context in their stomach.

Brenda eyed them and silently wished she was that drunk too. She sure was nauseous enough to pull it off.

'-Two virgin strawberry daiqurie's please.' Sharon sat down at the stool and her dress made its way further up her thigh without her knowledge, but no matter how Brenda tried to avert her eyes, it was there for her to… see.

'-You know, the most _infuriating_ thing about you is that you're always in control.' It came out as if she was trying to bite the head off the other woman. Brenda had had enough of this game.

'Oh, I'm sure you can come up with something that'll drive me over the edge. If anyone can, it's you.'

'-Is that a dare?' Sharon turned around in her seat making the dress act like a snake, crawling further and further up almost revealing the color of her underwear. A deep purple. Of course this woman wore matching underwear.

Brenda caught herself staring and quickly reached for her drink while mumbling; '-Yeah, that's not distracting at all.'

'-Excuse me?'

'-I have an excellent idea.

'-Of _course_ you do.' Sharon replied thick with irony, shaking her head to what she knew would not be a pleasant surprise on her end.

'-Don't you ever get tired of being a bitch?'

'-Do you?' This was not worth staying sober for.

'-Hey, what are you doing?' The bartender had lighted up like a schoolboy when they had gotten back, and to show his appreciation, he'd poured them two shots that they had figured best to not touch. Two reasons; one, they were staying sober, and two, you never knew what the man in charge of the alcohol choose to spice things up with.

'-Oh, no, no, no, you're not having that! Are you crazy? We're on duty!'

Sharon took a deep sigh, turned around to face Brenda and locked eyes with her and stared her down before she reached over and grabbed Brenda's untouched shot and let it burn down her throat.

'-Are you going to let me order now?' The look the woman was giving her was nothing less than a challenge, and if Brenda hadn't been so nervous before she entered the office earlier that she'd thrown down a glass of merlot herself she was sure she could have come up with a quick retort, but….

'-I…. I…' Brenda was lost in her search for the right words.

'-Two more please.'

She was eying the blonde, swaying slightly on her bar stool reaching for a ground that wasn't there.

'…and keep them coming.'

This was her chance to crack the woman. And Sharon had every intention of doing so.

TBC…


	6. Chapter 6

**Number of shots: 3. Beers: 2 **

'-She's pretty.' Brenda could stay on top of this, of course she could, hadn't she just been in the running for the next chief of office? Yes she had, but then why had she used _that_ as a conversation starter? Oh, that's right, she had lost. How would Delk handle this situation? Now that she thought of it, he should probably _know_ about this situation.

They were headed out on dangerous territory. '-Who?' Watching the other woman reel her way to what she was really trying to find out was nothing less than amusing. Especially since she could see right thought her vague attempt at being subtle.

'-Mrs. Parker.' Brenda tried focusing at where she was going with this, and applauded herself when she managed to remember the woman's name.

Sharon couldn't help herself, '-_Miss_. She's not married.'

Brenda glared at the Captain; of course she would use this particular situation to correct her. She was sure that at the end of the night _someone _would try and talk her into getting toilet paper with 'the word of the day' written all over them to expand her vocabulary. She wasn't having that.

'-Neither are you.' Why couldn't the Captain see how Brenda found this extremely fascinating? As in how could an attractive woman such as Sharon Raydor be happy with not being married, and why did it raise suspicion when she entered a cougar bar from strange young men they met at the streets of LA. Or, why the woman hadn't bothered covering up her exposed nipples when her t-shirt was clearly soaked through and through from her wet hair when greeting a superior at the door. Fine, she wasn't exactly invited, but who walked around their house with see-through t-shirts?

'-Neither are you!' Oh no, maybe she did see where Brenda was going with this, and were just playing her. And. she. was. falling. for. it. _Oh that woman!_ Brenda couldn't help but look at the label on her beer. Someone should mention that paranoia could occur as possible side effects.

Having a close relationship to her Merlot certainly didn't do her any favors when it came to an all night drinking game with the wicked witch; '-Yohooo!' Where on earth had that come from?

'-Oh my god you're a lightweight.' Sharon figured that shout out allowed her to not suppress her giggle for the moment and found herself shaking her head between watching the other woman's eyes go wide in shock and trying to keep her position of having the upper hand at the situation.

'-Oh yeah? What do **YOU** weigh?' Would someone please break in before she made an even bigger fool of herself?

'-Two more please.' Sharon was having too much fun to not take advantage of the bizarre outcome of the situation.

**Shots: 5. Beers: 2. Tequila- half a bottle:**

'-Mel….' Brenda wondered why she sounded British when she tried to speak. Then she remembered 'Bridget Jones' had been on in the background when she was trying to clean the couch enough to actually sleep on it.

'-Yes?'

'-You know her well?'Ok, enough with the British, it sounded horrible mixed with her Georgian inherit.

Sharon tried to improve her eye sight with squinting down at Brenda. She wondered if one of her contacts had dropped with the second shot. She wasn't much taller than the other woman now that they were sitting, since her legs were mainly to be blamed for the fact that she towered taller than the Chief. She didn't mind though, now she was able to slightly tilt her head so that she could glance in the other woman's direction without straining her neck and giving away what she was really looking at. The other woman, who she wanted to strangle. As soon as she came up with a way to do so without being caught. Those ridiculous outfits nowhere to be seen as she was sporting the outfit of a whole new dimension, a new dress and its ridiculous ability to ride further… and further….

'…Captain?' Brenda snapped her fingers.

'-Oh, I thought that was you telling me I know her well.' Acting like nothing had happened was surprisingly easy everything considered. If the Chief wanted to go there, Sharon would make it as hard for her as she could possibly muster. If she wanted to get some straight answers, she wasn't about to just give it to her.

'Are you gonna answer the question?' Brenda knew what the other woman was doing; she would have done the same.

She couldn't help the smirk, or the arching of a perfectly shaped eyebrow. '-Are you interrogating me?'

'-Are you a suspect?' Brenda deadpanned. Apparently feeling ready to jump of her own inability to play it smooth had managed to sober her up some.

'-No?' Although, if the Chief had known what was running through her mind at that moment, she would probably be facing a interview room and would have been read her rights right about now.

'-Then I'm not interrogating you.'

'-You're _curious_.' Sharon feigned looking shocked only to burst into laughter.

'-What? Not at all!' This would have probably made a greater impact if the blonde hadn't lacked any form for acting skills when it came to be confronted with the truth. That she was trying to figure out how to keep the straw in her drink and at the same time rock her foot to the beat of the song that was playing didn't help her case.

Sharon cocked an eyebrow, '-Then why do you want to know?' Now they were getting somewhere.

'-I'm sorry, I thought we were trying to have a conversation, that's all.'

**Shots: 7. Beers: 2. Bottles of tequila: 2. Bathroom break: 1**

'_-I've gotta pee.' _

'_Captain! I'm out of toilet paper!'_

'_-Then use your purse, god knows it's big enough to wipe your butt all the way from LA to DC.'_

'_-Oh, I would have! If SOMEONE hadn't insisted on lending me their 'more appropriate sized' accessory for the evening!'_

'-Kids.' The more Brenda thought about it, the more absurd the idea became. First of all, there was no physical reason to believe the body before her had given birth to no less than two children. Secondly, she wasn't even sure pure evil spawn could breed.

'-Umbrella.'

'- You've got kids.'

It couldn't be helped. It had been a problem all her life, when she faced uncomfortable situations the giggles would break out. Whether they were wanted or not, they had always managed to take her reason and the last of her sanity with them; '-Mew.'

'-Excuse me?' Brenda tried to keep her focus on the absurdity of the situation, rather than the fact that the older woman's body was shaking with laughter making her hair bounce and her smile brighten up the whole room. This, when she thought about it, had to be concrete evidence that the woman at her side was an alien, because there were simply too many blinking lights to manage that being human. She was so lost in trying to build her case, trying to remember the phone number to NASA that she completely forgot about Kitty. Before she had the chance to ask how on earth she could possibly know about him-

'-You do have a cat, right? That Ralph Lauren cardigan you sometimes use is full of cat hair.'

Sharon looked up from her drink wondering why there were tiny monkey's floating on banana boats there. She was pretty sure she didn't put them in her order.

When the other woman looked at her like she had just ate the very last Ding Dong in the universe, she almost felt the need to clarify her answer, '-Oh, isn't that what we're doing? Throwing out random facts about each other?'

'-He wasn't my cat, or, he didn't start out that way, he just lived with me and ate at my house.'

'_-Say's the crazy cat lady who carried her cat's remains around in her oversized bag for a week….' _Sharon really thought she had merely whispered it into her drink, but apparently her judgment was a little off.

'-I refuse to sit here and listen to these ridiculous accusations-' So what if it was true? It's not like she had intended it to happen that way!

'-Honey, please, my eardrums is already working overtime with this music, I don't need you on top of it.' That was the second time Sharon Raydor had called her honey. Surely, both times it had come out in situations where she was just a bit frantic, and possibly to reason with her, but she couldn't help the feeling it evoked when it occurred.

'-You were married!' Brenda went in for the second kill; there were simply no logic to the woman!

Sharon wasn't entirely sure how it happened, but a snort came out to the best of her abilities. '-_You_ were married!'

'-You're drunk.' Brenda slightly wobbled in her chair trying to look confident in her accusations and failed miserably.

'-_You're _drunk. I'm just slightly tipsy.' Sharon was at least sure of that much.

If there was one thing Brenda Leigh Johnson knew, it was facial expressions, right now she looked at the other woman as if she was growing another head out her shoulder. '-Umbrella?' The matter of fact smirk the other woman was sporting, as if that was the most obvious thing in the world caught her off guard.

'-I just figured you owned one. Everyone owns an umbrella.' Sharon silently cursed her own body for reacting the way it apparently did to this much alcohol. Her usual proportioned glass of wine every now and then in the evening was nothing compared to the amount of liquid she had stubbornly thrown down only to keep her mouth occupied from doing other things.

There was something about the Chief that had her intrigued. There she was, usually looking like she had just fallen off the hay wagon, with her syrupy-sweet Southern floral print skirts (ill fitting in all the wrong ways), and the ridiculous obsession with sweets clouding her judgment. On the other hand, there was the CIA trained Chief with the ability to make grown men cry. Usually in pure frustration of the woman's inability to follow the rules and just make something up as she went along, but also, she would break their cases with her interrogation skills. All this in one woman who didn't comprehend the fact that people could be married, then chose differently after a divorce had been finalized.

Brenda couldn't stop thinking there was something she was forgetting. Oh that woman!

'-Hello ladies, would you mind if we joined you?'

There it was, finally breaking into Sharon's trail of thoughts. She was sitting in a hugging dress on a Saturday night because she had a job to do. Two bodies were lying on gurneys waiting to be brought to justice, and here she was sitting giggling over floating monkeys in her drink, having indecent thoughts about the woman who was her chief, blurring all the lines she had mentally set before agreeing to the stakeout.

'-This is Brad, and I'm Sean.'

'-NO! We were finally getting somewhere here! Someone get in there and ask the two men to gently leave!' Flynn jumped out of his seat and over to the monitors and tried shaking the box enough to make the two newcomers go away.

'-Sit down Flynn, we're here to do a job, this isn't a reality show!'

'-Are you telling me you don't want to see the two women get it on?' Andy Flynn gave Provenza a questioning look no one else would have gotten away with.

'-Don't be stupid Flynn…. Of course! Who's bet was three drinks before getting into the juicy stuff?'

'-That would be me…' Buzz always lost out on those stupid bets. At least he had popcorn. Until Flynn saw the bag.

'-Where are we now? Seven shots?' He really shouldn't be a part of this, Gabriel had too much respect for the Chief to usually indulge in Provenza and Flynn's games, but, it was a Saturday night, and there was something about watching the clash of the titans trying to get along that had persuaded him into placing his bet. Being stuck in the surveillance van till morning came, what else was he going to do?

'-Hello boys. This is Dorothy, and I'm Dee.' Sharon made sure to keep her eyes on the prey just to see how far she could push the Chief to follow. It was wrong, but at the same time, she couldn't help thinking there was a reason why she shouldn't lose out to the woman.

'-Such a pleasure to meet you.' And there it was. The chief had feigned dropping her purse on the floor and for someone who didn't know lot about seduction; she was doing very well disposing her body to the young men's delight.

The young men were all but subtle in eying them up. Sharon couldn't help but shake her head at the situation, cursing herself for letting Mel pick _that_ dress for the chief. She silently wished she'd persuaded the woman into bringing her coat inside to cover her up.

There was only one way to keep their attention away from the impressive body the chief usually hid under distractive too loose fitting clothes. Sharon wasn't proud of her next move.

'-Are you gonna ask me to dance, or are you just gonna stand there?' It was delivered as a husky whisper into Sean's ear, and damn if she couldn't already feel his answer pressing on her thigh.

'-You look like a girl that has heard every line in the book, so what's one more going to hurt?'

'-I'm hardly a girl.' She was being pulled towards the dance floor, disguising her urge to run the other way with a smirk in Sean's direction.

'-I just lost my bed, can I borrow yours?' Sharon tried her utter best to suppress the raw laughter that was threatening to burst out. That had to be one of the worst lines in the book.

She hoped the boy didn't see her attempt to swallow her own imaginary vomit at uttering the words, '-You behave and tell me what I want to hear and maybe you'll have a place to sleep tonight.'

Was she _serious_? Brenda watched the excitement run over the young man's features, much like she would have watched a car accident - with shock, but unable to look away.

'-Dee! Wait a minute!' Ok, fine, so this wasn't one of her best moment- throwing herself on to the dance floor after a Captain who was really just trying to do her job.

Sharon leaned in close enough to embrace the other woman to make out what she was yelling over the music. _Oh, she shouldn't have done that… _Brenda mentally closed her eyes while trying to figure out why she thought it was a horrible idea to go dancing with some stranger that she had overheard the Captain flirting with. She could blame safety. Yes, that would make sense.

'-_Dee?_' Sharon quickly turned around to give Sean 'the look' which she hadn't practiced in years, but apparently hadn't lost its affect over the decades. 'What are you doing?'

'-Err… do you want me to come back a little later, or…? Sean knew better than to get between two women fighting.

'-What? Yes!' Of course they wouldn't agree on something even on a mission where they were drunk together working towards the same goal, '-What? No!'Sharon rolled her eyes.

'Sean, would you grab us a drink from the bar while we talk, it shouldn't take long.' Sharon felt Sean give her butt a not so gentle rub from behind, as she turned to face the fanatic woman before her. '_What_?'

'-I don't think we should split up. I mean, it's not safe. What if someone else gets shot tonight? We didn't bring our badges, so there is no way you can protect yourself. For what is worth, I don't need a whole lot of paper work trying to explain how I let you go away with some strange boy toy only to explain your death afterwards when he ties you to your bed and leaves you there only to let us find you a week later.

'-First of all', Sharon leaned in closer, brushing away some loose strands of blonde hair with her chin, trying to really make herself clear,' I'm never the one being tied up,' Brenda cursed the other woman under her breath for giving her this information to visualize, and secondly, this was all your idea, remember? I'm just doing what you asked, Chief.' And with that Sharon ushered for Brenda head in the opposite direction as Sean was back with their drinks.

Well, at least she wasn't bored, some new images was currently making their way into her brain, and with the speed they were travelling, she doubted their impact would go away the first century. As Brenda was eying up the curves dancing on the podium, swaying to the music, someone broke her concentration.

'-So, how about it Dorothy, do you mind if I ask you something?' _Why_ did her subconscious walk her back to the bar?

'-Sure'. Brenda battered her eyes in the man's direction, figuring, if the Captain could do it, then so could she.

Brad leaned in, the same way Raydor had done just minutes before, but there were no speeding pulse, no sweaty palms, not even a little hitch in her breath this time, even if he did try and copy her husky voice;'-If your left leg was Thanksgiving and your right leg Christmas, could I visit you between the Holiday?

'-Oh for heaven's sake! Raydor!'

'-What are you doing?'

'-Excuse us for a second there, Paul, was it? I just remembered Dee and I had something to do before the night ends, but please, feel free to let that erection run its course on someone else, Dee won't be needing that tonight. Oh, and Paul? I think your friend might need a trip to the emergency. Here, have a few dollars, it should be enough for the cab fare to St. Catherine's Medical Centre. Tell him I'm so sorry about what happened.'

'-Are you sure you don't mean Cedars? Sharon couldn't help but think back to one of their first encounters when she first had gotten a glimpse of what to expect of her Chief.

'-Err, you remembered that.' Brenda gave a weak smile, trying to hide her amusement, 'Well, don't worry; I still remember how cooperation _encourages_ you.'

'-Dorothy, what did you do?' Sharon gave Sean an apologetic smile while she scowled at the Chief who was currently trying to drag her away through the dancing crowd.

'-Not as much damage as I would have if you'd only let me bring my own purse for this!'

'-Oh, would you stop whining about that purse of yours? You know he was just about to tell me more about the two dead men we discovered shot here last night, their names were Trey Carmichael and Darren Waltz, they've been coming here for months, never with the same women, but always hanging with the same friends.

'-What? You actually did get something out of him, other than…'

'-Yes, _Chief_.'

'-Ok, good. That's good. Did he say anything else?'

'-I wouldn't know, because _someone_ dragged me into the ladies room before I had the chance to ask him anything else!'

'-What did you give him in return for his information?'

Sharon's nostrils flared, this was not the place to question her devotion to the case, '-Attention.' Oh yes, they were definitely headed out on dangerous territory and this time she wouldn't stop herself if it came to it.

'-Really, that's all it took, _attention_, and he opened up to you about a murder happening here last night, making him our only lead.'

'-Do you really want to go there? Does it piss you off? I play fair, follow the rules and _still_ get my way?' Sharon eyed Brenda like a lioness getting ready to hunt down her prey. Brenda slowly backed up towards the wall, wondering when she had managed to let the other woman get the upper hand on the situation.

'-Buzz! What's going on here? We lost the live feed!'

'-Well if you guys hadn't insisted on sitting so close to the monitor there wouldn't have been coffee spilled on it now, would there?'

'-Just fix it!'

'-What do you want?'

Sharon took a step closer and closed her eyes slowly at the same time as Brenda's breath hitched and the woman felt her resolutions and reasons to fight had lost its merit.

Two slender hands came gently around her waist and the grace from her fingertips softly shifted the fabric on Brenda's dress. Sharon's weight abruptly pressed the younger woman into the wall behind them, leaving Brenda to inhale once more as the cold brick hit her bare thighs and at the same time being conscious about the fire burning between them.

'-You've been looking down my dress ever since we got into this place.' It wasn't a question. Anyone could have walked in the ladies room, but they were already so far gone neither of them cared to think about that before they had to.

'Trying to ask me about what I prefer in a partner, which _kind_ of partner I want, and you jeopardized the only lead we have in this case, for what? _Urges_?'

Brenda had closed her eyes the second Sharon had stepped into her embrace, linking them together like they were one. She opened them only to see two searing green eyes looking back at her. There was something there; something she hadn't anticipated, but feared was being reflected back from her own-

As she took one last breath bracing herself for what was about to come, the one thing she didn't know how to handle, her body was being gently caressed with the one belonging to the woman she taught herself to repel. Brenda swallowed and found her body shaking as it was about to be given what it had longed for ever since letting her eyes wander on to Sharon Raydor. She could hear heart beating and hated herself for giving in to her curiosity. Brenda found the courage she didn't know she had been endowed and though her lips were quivering she managed to repeat her question into the other woman's neck; 'What do you want?' Cause whatever it was Brenda was not about to deny her it.

'-Nothing you can give me without having second doubts about doing so.' She leaned in and gently let their lips find each other. It was chaste as a first kiss between high school lovers, until it wasn't.

Brenda let her tongue slide ever so gently along Sharon's bottom lip and was surprised to find the other woman letting go, letting her take control as she deepened it; letting her hands come between them pulling the other woman even closer. Their chests crashed together as they were both trying to find enough air to outdo the other in intensity. She thought she had the upper hand until she figured out why the other woman always had to go first. Sharon had let her start the game, but she wasn't about to let her finish it. She grabbed the hands Brenda had placed on her waist and pinned them above her head, pushing one of her thighs between the legs of the Deputy Chief. Sharon was just about to let her lips slide between Brenda's when she stopped inches away, when Brenda opened her eyes. Sharon parted her lips as if she was thinking about how to best leave the woman undone, but as Brenda's heart started to pump again, remembering that was necessary for her existence, the other woman stopped. The Captain held her gaze for something that could have been an eternity or a simple second before she let go of Brenda's hands and pushed away from her body.

If anyone knew when it was the time to stop whatever they were doing, it was Sharon. It should have been Brenda. They both knew all too well that whatever _this _was, it was unprofessional, a cry for help on both ends whenever common sense made its way back, more than anything- the worst mistake two women could make and decide to ignore because of high alcohol levels.

'You know what they say; only children and people under influence tell the truth.' Sharon gave a weak smile and turned to walk away, leaving a stunned and hopelessly confused Brenda behind.


End file.
